1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to an assembly for easily attaching grid inserts to the concave of an agricultural threshing machine to simulate concave wires.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Combines and other agricultural threshing machines are provided with a threshing cylinder and concave for beating the grain from its husk or head. Typically, in a conventional combine, a transverse threshing cylinder is provided with a plurality of rasp bars which engage the crop and force it down against the concave.
The concave itself comprises a series of parallel steel cross bars which are held together by curved longitudinal side bars. Wire rods are also inserted through the cross bars. Increased grain separation from the material other than grain (MOG) can be achieved by removing concave wires in the rear of the concave. Removing wires lets greater quantities of chaff material imbedded with the grain fall through the concave openings onto the cleaning shoe. In some crops the cleaning shoe load can become too great, depending on crop conditions, and it is necessary to add full length wires back into the concave. Adding or removing wires from a concave can be very time consuming. When short wires are substituted for long wires, the wire holes in the concave cross bars fill with MOG potentially causing plugging and reducing separation capacity of the concave.